Heaven Came Down

Join this HeartCry Prayer- Every Saturday 10.30pm-1.30am (UK time)

Acts 16:16-36

Could God have allowed Paul and Silas to be arrested just so that the jailer, his households and other prisoners could be saved? The New Wine does whatever Jesus wants.

Paul filled with the Holy Spirit no doubt, commanded the spirit in the slave girl to leave her and it did immediately. Paul, Silas and the writer Luke all lived lives of prayer. Paul had the divine ability to discern spirits.

God will not allow His testimony to be told by demons or demon possessed people; that was why Jesus always silenced the demons in people whenever they wanted to declare who He was.

Paul did not address the girl but the spirit within her. Everyone saw that the Name of Jesus worked including the owners of the slave girl! What wicked people, using her to make money.

PRAYER 

• Lord, whatever Your plans are please include me in them.
• My Comforter and Counsellor, please work in and through me as You did in Paul.
• Lord,help me to cultivate and live a life of prayer and praise.
• Give me a hearing and discerning heart, O Lord.
• Lord, use my life as Your bill board for Your testimonies.
• Father, let the Name of Jesus work in me and for me.

v19 – We can see here the devil putting his plans in place by getting the crowd to attack Paul and Silas, though the devil meant it for evil, it was all working out God’s purpose. They had them stripped, beaten and severely flogged, stocks fastened to their feet: all these were working out God’s purpose. God will go to any length to ensure that His plans come together - for the sake of the jailer, his family and other prisoners, God moved.

Paul and Silas were suffering for the sake of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – this is to fulfil what Jesus said they we will be persecuted as HE was. What a great privilege!!

What was Paul and Silas’ response to persecution? Prayer and praising – singing hymns to God not silently, as other prisoners heard them – For Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation" – this is about to happen here in prison!!!

What was heaven’s response to their prayer and praise?

A violent earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. Prayer garnished, seasoned and salted with praise always shake foundations - Acts 4v31.

Result of earthquake: Prison doors flew open; everyone’s chain became loose, the grace of God extended to all present. What a response from heaven!

PRAYER

Lord, whatever the enemy of our salvation has in plan for our generation, Father turn it to foolishness. 

• Father, let Your purpose ripen fast in our lives and in our time.
• Father, in the cause of spreading/preaching the Gospel, let nothing stop us, not persecution, beatings, hunger or nakedness.
• Father, help me to respond to whatever I am going through in such a way that heaven will be pleased with me.
• Heaven of God, please respond to our call/cry/worship/prayer and praise with signs and wonders.
• We decree and declare that all prison doors that are keeping us from speaking the Word of God or keeping the people away from hearing the undiluted Word of God be flung open.
• Chains of sin, dead works and Adamic nature be loosed in Jesus Name.

The purpose for which Paul and Silas were in prison is about to the realised and unveiled; however the devil in his wickedness did not want the jailer and others to be saved. He wanted to change the focus from God to himself by making the jailer commit suicide but the Holy Spirit outwitted him by making Paul to be swift in his response to the jailer – Paul shouted, “Do not harm yourself, we are all here.” – v28.

Salvation was available in the prison ground; salvation at midnight. salvation defied time and bodily function (sleep). Though it was time to sleep, all the prisoners, the jailer and his whole family were awake to hear the undiluted gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

v29 – The jailer asked for physical light, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. God gave him spiritual light that he saw, asked for and received salvation. What must I do to be saved was his question?

"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household" was the response, and they gave him and his household the Word of God. Something happened – heaven came down and the glory of God filled his soul even in the prison grounds living quarters.

Another contrast – he washed their wounds – they washed his soul. He and his family got baptised, buried, submerged into the death and raised into the resurrection of the Son of God.

He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, a picture of what awaits him in heaven when the Father will set a table before the jailer and us all, to a feast in the mansion that He has prepared for us.

“He was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole family” – salvation brings us joy – it must have been a joyful and happy place to be in at that time. The location that was a place of depression, sadness, plotting and planning revenge and pity became a place of joy unspeakable, full of glory; as heaven was present within the prison walls and the living quarters.

All these happened during the night – Paul and Silas came into the prison alone, now they have gained a family of believers as a result of this encounter – what a testimony!!

Heaven’s mission was accomplished so at daylight the magistrate sent for Paul and Silas to be released.

Watch the language of the jailer has changed!! “Now you can leave, go in peace.” Heaven has come; the light is here now we can carry it forward, go in peace – your mission here is accomplished. In this territory, you have won the good fight. The jailer’s language changed because he met the Prince of peace, the Ruler of the whole of creation who sets all free and when he sets free, we are free indeed!!! 

The foolishness of the devil versus the wisdom of God – what he wanted to do to curtail the gospel, now brought about the salvation of household, inmates and the beginning of prison ministry. The slave girl was no longer a tool of trade in the devil or the wicked master’s hands.

Hallelujah! The power of prayer and praise when the New Wine is present is unimaginable.

PRAYER

• Lord, help me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and respond swiftly.
• Wherever I am, Lord help me to be prepared to speak Your Word.
• Discomfort, pain or shame did not stop Paul and Silas from speaking Your Word, let nothing stop me.
• Lord, help me to see the big picture in what I am going through.
• Lord, change the language of our converts.
• Lord, affect our family, colleagues, community and neighbourhood with the gospel of the Lord Jesus.
• Let heaven’s mission be accomplished in our lives.
• Father, help me to take many with me to heaven. 
• Use Your Word in my life to set many people free.
• Let Your light shine into every area of our lives.

Join this HeartCry Prayer- Every Saturday 10.30pm-1.30am (UK time)